Tri-Fuel Portable Generator Post Hurricane Update on Natural Gas
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
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Changing the oil makes sense after a storm even if the hours aren't too bad. You don't want to be in the middle of the next event wishing you'd changed the oil at a more convenient time.
Use synthetic oil as well.
100%
I run my generator for 20 minutes, once a month and change the oil based on calendar days then. When running extended periods, I change according to generator hour time.
@@Threedog1963 You don't need to change the oil like that.. Thats like changing your cars oil every 200 miles
We have a Firman tri fuel and ran it for 7 days. It ran the pool pumps, small air conditioner, 2 refrigerators, 2 freezers, house plugs, dishwasher and washing machine. Started off with the gasoline and then flipped it to natural gas. Changed the oil twice during the operation and checked the oil everyday and added clean oil as needed. It was a life saver.
How many running watts (non peak) is yours? I bought the Firman 7500w (9500w peak) and it's great!
Exactly what we did. I’ve got 285 hrs on mine and it’s been great. Not an issue so far.
Can it run central air without EasyStart ?
Mine definitely cannot run my 5 ton AC. Haven’t had a soft start installed yet but my HVAC folks seem to think it would work.
I assume the power from the Firman was clean enough to run electronics.
I am in Missouri City (Sienna). I had my Fir**n Tri-fuel running on NG for 40 hours during the hurricane plus a couple 1/2 hours runs afterwards. It ran my 4-ton A/C with the help of a Micro-air soft starter.
How many kw is the generator you had running
@@EPerez-iw9zp Manual says for NG, 6900W starting, 5500W running.
Good to hear. I live near NOLA and just put a soft start on my 4 ton. I have a 9kw (startup) coming tomorrow!
Hey neighbor (sort of) I have the same 4T A/C and soft starter, gonna setup a Duromax 13,000 on NG at 8500 continuous. Have to pull a city permit to upgrade the gas meter, and CenterPoint to upgrade the meter, install a sub-panel on my panel... Did the Duromax treat you okay? They are 2K on Amazon right now. I already bought it, just wanted to know.
Those Micro-Air easy starts are no joke 😂
I installed one my 3 ton house AC and I can run it off 2 EcoFlow delta Pro’s.
Besides the back up power my house lights do not flicker any more with it installed now.
Your video popped up in my feed. I'm near Jersey Village and my Wen 56380i Super Quiet 3800-Watt RV-Ready Portable Inverter Generator ran 138hrs on NG using motor snorkel conversion kit this past week. Ran refrigerator, lights, ceiling fans, router, TVs, and 8000btu window unit. After power came back on I want bigger and better. Really appreciate your video and setup. It's been brutal for everyone and hope and pray power restored soon.
Im just up the road from JV. Impressive power on the Wen with NG conversion. That’s basically all the things I’m wanting to power. More concerned sizing a generator large enough for a window unit up to 12k btu. I don’t need to power my fridge and freezer full time. They kept things cold and frozen for 12-15hrs when we lost power.
@@acort10 I tried adding another 6000btu window unit but tripped the breaker on the genny. Which is why I want to go more wattage on the generator so I can do a 10/12000 btu window ac in addition to 8000btu. Running NG has its limitations since you lose 20/30% less surge and running watts.
JV highschool alumni here wup wup
We have had our Generac several year and not until May 16th and the hurricane Beryl hit did we really appreciate it. The tornado it ran 6 days 24/7 and the hurricane 3 days. We were doing good on Center point until that Saturday morning two cars had a wreck and tore down the power pole at Bingle Rd @ Kempwood. Having it hooked to natural gas meant that we did not have to hunt for gasoline.
FYI bigger typically means higher fuel consumption. You can limit this though with an inverter-generator model
I'm glad this worked out for you. I'm currently in the fallout from Milton in Central FL. My Westinghouse WGEN18000DFC went out on me on day 5 of no power, only about 40 hours total of usage, including the 5hrs of break in from back in the spring. I don't run it non-stop, I cycle it. It stopped outputting 240v. I tested and was only getting 120v on one leg and 60v on the other. Westinghouse is sending me a new AVR (automatic voltage regulator) but it's too little too late. This is my second Westinghouse unit, the first one showed up with a major oil leak, I had to transport it to a service center (not easy) where they could not fix it so they sent me a replacement. I'd say if you're planning to rely on one of these you need to stock up on a bucket of spare parts and know how to fix it. I'm going to be seeking an alternative because I'm 0 and 2 on Westinghouse units so far. Super disappointing to spend all this money, time and prep work on it to fail when it's brand new.
I'm told there are only a few factories in China (12 or so) pumping out these generators under various names like Ford, Westinghouse, Champion, Cummins, Generac, and Genmax. Not to be disrespectful but we call these Chondas or Chinese Hondas. They are Honda clones and you may get are great one or a failure. I bought three Duromax 13,000; two were great and on through a rod after two minutes of run time.
I agree with letting the shed open as my similar setup had issues with my generator shutting down because it was overheating. With the heat rising during post-Beryl, I didn't care much about my neighbors' thoughts about me running my generator in the open. I ran mine for 12 hours straight and shut it down around 10 PM after cooling my house down to 73 degrees but luckily the power came back on as soon as that happened. I was one of the lucky few that got power restored within a day of losing it but my generator running on 100lb propane was a lifesaver! Prepare for the unexpected!
Thought about getting a 100# tank. How do you haul that thing around for refills? Haha
@@clintyoung9902 they come to you
Thanks for posting the update. Its Sunday and we still dont have power on my street in Channelview. Others do but not us in the nest of 21 houses. My Wgen7500DF has been running since 11:45am last Monday. I have a pop up canopy set up over it and strapped to the genset. :)
Fellow Sugar lander, excellent video, very nice setup. Glad you and your family made it through the aftermath.
6 days with no power around Willowbrook. I was so thankful for my generator even though it is not a whole house generator. I did use a fan to help vent it.
7:20 I have an older gasoline Briggs and Stratton 5500kw peak, here in Spring I ran mines for 7 days after Beryl no power everywhere 🥵….changing the oil out every 50-100 hrs is recommended. Because I was running it long enough to add gas, I changed my oil out every 48 hrs and running synthetic too… Oil is cheap and it’s going to prolong the life of my generator… I also changed out the Spark plug after power was restored, we’re ready for what comes next….After watching this video, saving up funds to a larger DF Gen because we do have natural gas system in the house…. Competing with everyone else in our area every 2 days looking / filling gas at the pump is definitely a downside to my current setup… thanks for a great updated posting.
I used the same shed for my DuroMAx 4850 dual fuel and it does a good job for our needs. I noticed your side vent looks very small compared to your fan. I'm sure some engineer can tell us the exact size required but I personally used the total fan area as a guide. I run ours in 110+ temps in AZ here with no issues. I also installed a Govee Indoor blue tooth thermometer unit so I can watch the temps on my phone and get an alarm if temps get crazy hot. Nice setup you have there.
I built a 4 ft. x 8ft. storage building in the back yard. Yes, it was built for the generator but decided I may as well have a little more storage space. Sixteen-inch x 24-inch vents on each side. A box fan provides ventilation. Has worked fine for the freeze and the hurricane. I do use full synthetic 20/50 wt. (same oil I use in my motorcycle) and change every 24 hr. of run time. Thanks Calvin, for great content!
Why would you use such a heavy oil when most man. recommend 10w30? And what bike uses 20w50?
@@armyfazer1410 It is Hot in Houston. Most owner's manuals recommend 10-30 for temps 0 to 85 degrees. A straight 30 wt. oil would do also. Just what I am most comfortable using. This is what I use in my Harley sportster.
@@dirkmoore4224 I'm near NOLA. Same weather as you. 10W30 goes well above 85. Good luck with your process.
I've been wanting to do the same thing. I want to build something a little bigger and store all my lawn equipment and generator. Maybe even section off the area I put the generator so if I need to start up the generator, I don't have to worry about the other equipment or chemicals I have.
There's some smart people in Houston. I miss them.
Houston gets a bad rap but you have all of these petroleum engineer types.
Let them think it’s horrible so they can stop coming!
@@angelinasaenz5840exactly 🤣🤣 we are full
All these petroleum engineer types that make it so you can live a modern lifestyle instead of a third world lifestyle?
I ran my generator with a similar setup for 3 days straight after hurricane Beryl hit. I appreciate the setup and for sharing your knowledge with everyone. I would definitely get a bigger shed, though, and vent even more than what is described. Definitely replace the insulation with concrete board and MAINLY the roof of the shed needs to be raised while running. Great job, Calvin!
I have the same generator and it ran 20 hours non-stop except for refilling the gas tank. I do have my gas meter to my house plumed with a quick disconnect T-line but I want to run as long as possible on gasoline before I switch over to natural gas. The generator powered my whole house though I'm pretty conservative with energy usage and with the internet being out, the generator only had to worry about my 3-ton air conditioner, some ceiling fans a refrigerator and a deep freezer. I was probably using no more than 5,000 watts. This generator is amazing.
What was your NG bill like? I know the load will make all the difference, just want an estimate.
I figured the cost of running the whole house cost $24 a day using natural gas.
@@fat_biscuits3928 I didn’t use NG as I was able to get a refill of fuel however when I went to go out the second time to get fuel most of the gas stations were either out of fuel or had big lines but I managed to find a place. I did ask a friend who did use NG to check his provider’s website for usage and from what he could tell it’s about $60-$70/ day which mirrors what other people have said online. That’s about the same price as getting the same amount of gasoline run time-wise.
@@fat_biscuits3928 I thought I replied to you earlier. I kept it all gasoline as my power was out for only 2 days. A friend with a Generac says it’s about $60/day on NG.
I consider NG my primary and gasoline as my backup for several reasons. First, dollar per watt, NG is the cheapest fuel source. Tied for first, as long as I have NG service it is constant and I need not stop to refuel. Second, in addition to the refueling process, there is also the resupply process and you have to find a pump that has power that has also not been sucked dry because its the only one in miles. Third, even if you use ethanol-free gas, you cant leave the leftover in the tank indefinitely...and since you really can't know when you will need it again, you really should drain it from the tank and carb so thats extra hassle.
Great point on running the fan after the generator shuts off. And the power return kit is pretty cool.
If that generator does not have a spin on oil filter I would definitely not run over 50 hrs without changing it. I have also seen magnetic dip sticks, I don't think it would hurt. Also thank you for being a good person and helping out your neighbors! But if you live in a storm prone area why wouldn't you have a generator??? Much cheaper than a freezer full of bad meat or frozen pipes!
This model has a washable oil screen right next to the oil fill port. It's better built than most generators.
@@projectswithjw nice! Is it still single cylinder?
@@shawnbeerens4292 It is.
@@shawnbeerens4292 I have the same one and yes, single cylinder 550CC. The re-usable screw-in oil screen filter seems to be really well made. During my 5 hour break-in, it caught a lot of shiny metallic particles. I also used a magnetic dip stick and a magnetic oil drain plug. Interestingly, when I checked the oil filter after the power came back on 20 hours later, there was almost no metallic particles in the filter screen so it appears I did a great break-in. I brought out quite a few appliances as well as a hair dryer and heat gun to ramp up and down the load with oil changes every 2-3 hours.
25 hours is max and I change the oil
Oil is so cheap and so dam easy to change only a lazy rich person can afford to destroy a generator or lawnmower 😊
Hi, your video popped up, probably because I'm searching generator videos. I live in Katy, TX and lost power for a couple of hours late afternoon after the eye went over. You have a nice set up and thanks for sharing the details. I worked for MUZAK and AT&T. Retired now. Your truck set up is nice.
I’m getting to these comment late I know. I just happened across your video. I read many of the comments already.
I know I’m gonna get some flack over this but…
I use a 100’ long 3/4” ID water hose with quick connects instead of a natural gas line. It’s rated at 500 psi. Natural gas is usually just a few ounces. It’s temperate anyway and rolls up quick after. Just blow it out.
I drove through Sugarland (Sienna) to help a friend right after the hurricane hit. It was devastating. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard so many generators running throughout a single area. It’s good to see so many proactive people.
I run the tri-fuel Westinghouse 9500 and it was a lifesaver after Beryl hit. One note I have is that here in the Houston area you will know when the power from the transmission line comes back on by looking at your meter. If it has LED numbers showing then the power is back on.
Good tip about energy back on line with meter showing led numbers! I'm researching on hooking up a tri fuel generator to run on my natural gas line. Watched several videos on the set up, with one strongly warning against tapping into gas line saying should the generator stopped running and no one is around, the gas would continuously flow into the generator posing an extreme dangerous situation. Do you know whether or not the tri fuel generators have a regulator on board or an automatic shut off device that can shut off natural gas flow automatically
should an unexpected shut off of the generator occurred with no one around to notice, such as in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping?
It's hard to know
During the Tornados in West Houston we were without power for 6 days. Our Generac 20kw generator ran 24/7 all that time with a few exceptions of me shutting it off to check the oil level.
When Hurricane Barel came through on Monday our power flashed a few times but stayed on all that week until Saturday morning when there was a two car wreck at Kempwood @ Bingle Rd and took down a power pole.
The Generac started up and switched us over to generator power in 10 seconds and ran for 3 days. I'm sure glad we had Wired Electric installed that generator a few years ago.
How much did you pay Generac for the generator 7K, and install? I'm guessing ~$15-18,000 total? You can have enough power for $3-4K and a little thought. Good thing you had it though, really...
@@fat_biscuits3928 With the turn-key installation from Wired Electric and bringing up our home with a new weather head to the power pole it was $7,300.
I wanted to get one installed, but i was quoted over $20k. I'm not married to my house, so i opted not to...but good to know they work very well
@@adivasworld I would look around. It sounds like that guy or company wants to make a killing and not a decent profit. Some places don't have the competition so they jack up the price.
I just had same 20kw generac installed. What was your natural gas bill for the 6 days???
Good job looks great. Others have mentioned changing the oil frequently. If you use fully synthetic oil, it can sit indefinitely without risk of sludge buildup. It is cheap cheap in Walmart. Make sure you inspect the oil daily by using a turkey baster to pull up the oil and look through it. If it is extremely dirty then switch it out. Also make sure the level of the oil is correct every day
Beryl was a beast for a Cat 1! That Generator is also a Beast!!
Beryl was a cat 1. The weakest hurricane classification. Our electrical infrastructure was unmaintained. A cat 1 shouldn’t have caused this kind of destruction.
@@rocks4brains i do know it hit some major power highlines did not help it was more wind than i remember a cat 1 being
@@rocks4brainsexactly
Great job and thank you for posting it. That is a lot cheaper than generac $12000 for my home
Another option to think of if you'd like to take a break from the noise of the generators, if it bothers you. Batteries with inverters. I had us set up with a less than full house coverage because of the cost years ago and then we had to use it after Hurricane Michael. We're in Panama City, FL and It took about 3-1/2 weeks to get power back. And we were lucky.
At night, we used 2 pairs of deep cycle batteries with inverters to keep the refrigerator and freezer going on one set and 2 small window air conditioners on the other set. The hurricane took out the HVAC unit. We'd charge the batteries during the day while running the generator. We're in a better position now so we can afford the slightly bigger setup, but it's still nice to have the quiet at night.
You read my mind! Check out my latest video about Solar as well as videos to come. ua-cam.com/video/wMYLyzwtIQU/v-deo.html
I have a Westinghouse gen just like that one (just slightly less output) and it was a Beryl lifesaver. I’m in Klein and I ran it continuously for five days except for the two times I shut it off to change the oil. Was trying to figure out a way to soundproof it and it never dawned on me to get a small storage container. I bought some fireproof 12x12 foam sound panels on Amazon. The fan for heat and exhaust is also a great idea. Thanks for this video.
Very nice!
Bought a Firman T07571 soon after the big freeze a few years back. Got a couple of 30 lb propane tanks. Now I’m thinking of natural gas because of the Houston experience. Also have a soft start for the AC scheduled. Thank you for sharing the information. Really helpful. Now have to stock up on oil/filters also.
I bought a harbor freight for $650 9000 ,and installed to house panel and safety breaker shut off, it does whole house electrical including central air, tv , refrigerator , now i got a tri fuel carb for gasoline, propane, and natural gas after i score quick connects and hose for the natural gas to the house , We must help each other even a neighbor in need , till they get their own hookup, a sence of pride can't be beat , doing so. Got 3 ways staying safe n comfy.
The problem with natural gas is after a hurricane sometimes you will lose the natural gas supply to your house
@@Coyote-tc1ww That's why I like the tri-fuel option. NG first, propane second, and Gas last.
Good video. And good for you helping your neighbors out too.
I have a Firman tri fuel that ran 147 hours on nat gas and produced about 350kwhrs. I was surprised when it first shut down for low oil at 87 hours and a second time with a 141 hours total. Each time it took 18oz of oil to top it off. As the engine broke in it consumed more oil. I recommend having at least a quart of oil on hand for extended run periods.
Yes having extra engine oil is smart and I change my oil every 25/45 hours max if under heavy load
A quart of oil every.24 hour for oil change is cheaper than buying other generators
Plus I’m retired diesel mechanic who works on small engines every day 😊
A quart?
I’d suggest having a case of oil for the generator.
+always over maintenance your equipment and cars to.
You might consider adding oil before gen kicks off for "oil is critically low" status.
Good point on the cool down cycle afterwards.
Hey from Tomball, TX. I have a duel fuel generator and I usually only fuel with propane. This time due to power outage length I had to use gas. (no propane refill available) The best part of using gas for long term power outage is that you can fill the tank with more fuel than what is in the typical propane bottle. On a full tank of gas we ran for 11-12 hours with air-condition. on propane we got 8-9 hours. I have been thinking about maybe using the Nat. Gas supply but our previous power outage was only a few hours not days like this time. Thank for sharing.
@@dane6k6 this is why I’m investing in a 100lb propane tank 🤣 The longer I can let this thing run without having to go out and refuel it, the better (though I know I still need to go out and change the oil but still…)
A 100lbs propane tank will be empty in 20hrs. 20lbs tanks commonly used with gas grills empty in 4hrs running a generator.
@@jazzcat9363 I hear ya. Just know when you go to that size bottle the nozzle is different. Also know that the nozzle isn't string shutoff. Meaning when the valve is open propane comes out. Not the case with the 20lb bottles.
How many tons is you ac unit and what size of propane tank last you 8-9 hours?
@xxRock81xx Buy 4 or 5 100lb tanks. Keep them full. Propane doesn't go bad.
You have done a lot of good work. You need a BIG blower in order to keep the generator cool inside a quiet box in the Houston/Galveston area. Luckily, I had a spare 600 CFM 8" in-line duct fan (>$200 new) and it barely cooled the generator; the outlet air was ~125F when the outside temperature was 95F. I had a tri-fuel Firman T07571 on Nat Gas and I built a quiet box for it that reduced the nosce to ~75dB but that required large baffles for both the inlet and outlet cooling air flow. I would suggest using a large Nat Gas hose (3/4"), KN 039-112 low pressure demand regulator, and 4AWG wire to minimize fuel and power loses or starting a 4 ton AC even with a soft start will be problematic. I used that setup on my Genmax GM9000iED after the huricane; though I did have to alternate running one 4ton AC at a time and the rest of the house.
I bought a Westinghouse hybrid generator after the freeze in 2022- Houston. It was still in the box and finally opened it and used it due to Beryl. I used propane which I recommend over gasoline as it has a indefinite self life without going bad. I had a gasoline powered generator before. Gasoline has a short life and it is hard to get rid of - finding a hazmat place that can dispose of it and costly. Also, ran it for about 5 days.
I did give it breaks during the day. My neighbors had cords running to it. I also have the set up where I had a connection installed next to the electrical box to switch to generator. It was worth the money and about $1,000 compared to a generac. I might look into natural gas in the future, but happy with propane, since I don't expect to use the generator often.
Nice setup. I live in NW Harris Co. We were very fortunate in that we didn’t lose power at all during Beryl which is a good thing since I had no generator. After seeing family members and co-workers go 1-1/2 weeks with no power, I decided to better prepare. My setup will be much smaller than yours as I picked up a Westinghouse 5000w inverter unit. It came dual fuel ready but I’m converting it to run off the natural gas my house already has. Certainly won’t power the entire home but will power all necessary items enough to keep us comfortable while we wait out the next blackout.
Great setup! We are in Dallas, since snowmaggedon we have upped our generator game knowing our state isn’t prepared. We went with two small generators for the refrigerators and miscellaneous things, but looking to get a 3500 or higher inverter for additional power.
We were without power for 7 days during that same storm here in Katy. Neighbors are more forgiving on the noise issues when you offer to throw an extension cord over the fence. LOL. Both of my neighbors were on my genny for at least some of that time.
Those engines have a "fan" built onto them, so air is being blown over the engine as long as the engine is running. That said, if the engine is enclosed, it only has access to hot air, and at best, the ambient temp of your location. But they are certainly capable of running for long periods of time. A very impressive set-up you have there.
Going in 144 hours now. I just bought mine this year and went through all the break in oil changes and maintenance.
Same here, still without it in Houston. Northside area by spring
I have 2 small trifuel generators: 4000w 240v 6000 surge and 2400w 120v 3500 surge. Along with that I have 12000kwh battery backup. This allows me to switch to batteries immediately and if power is off for an extended period I can use the generators to charge the batteries in just a few hours a day. Instead of running 24/7. This saves a lot of fuel and does less damage to the generators than running continuously. Next year I will install 3000w solar to minimize the need for generators even more and start getting pay back by reducing my grid power consumption on sunny days.
Does the battery backup power the whole house? I don't know if I need anything that big...I can live without air conditioning for a while (it's uncomfortable, but I'll live through it), but would like to have something to use indoors. I have a small 2000 watt inverter generator, which has been running since last Monday (still now power a week later) and is awesome, powering an outdoor fridge and fan, but I'd like something I can use indoors. Maybe like a 5000 watt job?
@@kevinm234 awesome! Would love to see more about your setup. Especially the batteries!
Yeah we are still without power from the storm over in Humble. Still running on my small generator. After this will be diffently upgrading my unit to run my whole house.
Get the biggest available. Get double the gas cans you think you need. Estimate 1 gallon per hour. Keep enough oil and filters for several oil changes on hand. Get a battery powered fuel transfer pump stick. Keep spare sparkplugs and fuel filters on hand.
@@dontblameme6328 Agreed. Fuel consumption will depend on the generator and how much power you are using though. I was running in economy mode and got 18 hours per 5 gallons of gasoline. When I hook the gen up to the breaker box on the house, I'll have to run on full mode and am estimating getting 9 hours per 5 gallons, or less.
Excellent Presentation!
I’ll be watching this again. 😊
Nice setup! Would definitely do similar if I had natural gas or propane options. I went with smaller 2k generators (3) after a test run. I still have a 6.5k 220v for water heater duty only. I found storing enough gas was a problem with a larger generator. The bigger the generator the more thirsty it is. I make due and only run two window ac's to have cool rooms while main AC is off. No 220 appliances, but rest of house has power. Ran non stop for 7 days last hurricane and was able to take 1 generator out of service at a time to refuel, do oil changes, or give it a break. At night only use 1 and 3 if needed during the day to conserve fuel. Use around 5-6 gallons a day. By day 6, I have to start looking to get more fuel. This gives it time for the insanely long fuel lines to clear up at the gas station or for them to get more. They usually limit to 5 gallons per visit and first couple days can take 8-12 hrs to get gas if it doesn't run out while waiting in line. I learned my lesson the hard way cursing on the drve home empty handed after waiting 6 hrs. Never again!!!
Not sure bigger (or reasonably bigger) is more thirsty. I have been comparing the Westinghouse WGen9500TFc to the larger WGen11500TFc. The 11500 has 26.66 percent higher output on NG. Both units show 7 hours on Propane. Running on gas is shows more efficient on the larger (11500) at 2 hrs/gal vs 1.8 hrs/gal on the 9500. Perhaps the "ding" is more in the cost to purchase with the 11500 about $400 more.
Nice setup! Just bought the same genset today. I also live in the Houston area and lost power for a couple days. Between Beryl and the freezes I hit my limit with no backup power. I am lucky I work in O&G and spend a lot of time living out of my truck so I have a 12v fridge.
I’ve been thinking of getting this generator to hook to my gas line but wasn’t sure if my small yard in the Heights has enough clearance for ventilation, but your setup makes me think I should do it!
Wow. Nearly the exact setup I have. Same shed, same fan. Except I put a large input louver on the other side. I only put the concrete board on the back side for the heat generated by the exhaust and offset it a but to create an airspace between it and the plastic. I also rigged the exhaust with a pipe that comes out and turns down to keep water out. Finally I hardwired the whole thing into the breaker box with a manual interlock safety. Start it and close the whole thing up. The air flowing through keeps it cooler than if it was just open I believe. I don't know why this showed up on my feed. I've had this setup since just after Harvey. My indicator for commercial power restoration is my across the street neighbor's porch light. The only issue I've had is wasps love to build nests in the fan. I run it every month and am amazed at their persistence.
@@Coldwarrior7781 sounds like you saw my old video from 4-5 years ago 😂
@@CalvinGorriaran Sorry nope. My own thing. Harvey destroyed my old open shed and I wanted a way to get the unit closer to the house without increasing the noise. Your shed is probably the exact unit from Lowe's though. I didn't put anything on the doors. They don't give the impression they can take any extra weight.
@@CalvinGorriaran did you do floating neutral or leave it bonded? Saw it in the manual, but no one mentions it.
@@zsells9758 I don’t have a ground at the generator because I am running a ground back to the panel and it is grounded. My understanding using the ground in the panel when setup this way, is best practice.
@@CalvinGorriaran so you removed the grounding jumper on the generator?
Greatly appreciate the update video. Just made it through the storm as well first time with a generator. Want to make a shed similar to yours. Was just thinking a way to know power came back would be helpful. Thanks for showing the power return alarm. Grabbed it from your link.
Your main breaker must be off. You should install an interlock device from the main to the backfeed breaker feeding your bus bars. I assume you have a smart meter on the wall next to your breaker panel, if it's not reading anything on the screen the power is still out. Or you can get a Fluke T1000 (you'll have to buy one for ~$100 and check one of the feeds to ground located above your main breaker. If either lead into the main has 120V your power is back on.
@@fat_biscuits3928 yes sir! Main breaker off with the interlock is the way. Thanks for the thoughts on the smart meter and identifying power.
@@nathanmcmahan400 You're welcome sir. Good luck with your install!
Great communication on your video.
Thank you.
To the person asking about the Duramax 13,000. YES it will do just fine on a 4 ton. I live in Katy. I’ve built 5 exact Duramax 13,000 generators on Natural Gas. All have been successful w/o using a soft start. I highly recommend using the Micro Air anyway do it doesn’t task your generator. And definitely change the oil every 40 hours. The oil is the life of any generator.
Great setup. I’m in Houston and I have been thinking of a way to setup a portable generator outside permanently. To avoid having to move it in and out of the garage during times of emergency. I also don’t want to have to lug it out to test it every few months. I think I will try the small storage shed like you have. Thanks
Nice setup, and now proven. Nice work!
Smart move with the fan running all of the time thru the reverse house inlet. I've never seen that. Great setup. My only hurdle is a slope where I want to set my generator for a permanent position. Might have to set some posts and build a base and figure an exhaust noise cancelling system.
I cant stress enough how often to change oil on a single cylinder air cooled engine running at high rpm's 24/7. I do mine every 24-30 Hours. However its fine at 50 Hours. Just no more than 50 Hours. I have more airflow around my set up. However I cant run mine during blowing rain. Your set up allows you to run during the peak of the storm. I have to wait till it blows past to run mine.
Great setup!
Questions:
1. Did you have to change NG meter and regulator for this engine? And if all plumbing was done by you or certified plumber?
2. What manufacturer of cooling fan are you using? Is fan with thermostat?
Thank you for answers.
I am in North Houston and no power yet… running on Powerhorse generator.
Thanks for the info. Central Texas here. I need to upgrade.
Everyone in Texas and Florida need to be watching this instead of buying iPhone and Androids. I helped over 10 people with these generators setups and they happy i convinced them to do it because they had power outages for days and they was the only people on the street with power.
@@solargod3671 so true. I was shocked by the lack of preparedness during and after this last storm.
We are well water so I installed a 50 amp twist lock to the panel outside to provide whole house power. I bought the same half height shed but need to find a fan like you to cool it down. I've installed an opening vent on one side but need a fan on the other side. My goal is to run it quietly but opening the doors at the moment is like screaming at the neighbors.
i find your video very informative this was my first storm. i dont have backyard im in townhome but didnt think about cover until i ran across this
Great setup. Only thing that has me scratching my head is that transfer switch for the fan? If the outlet gets power from your house wouldn’t the outlet also get power from the generator when you turn on the interlock? Then also have power when you switch back to utility power ? So really no need for a transfer switch ?
Excellent setup and highly useful video. Well done!
Thank you for the update. You have a nice setup. Wish everyone was prepared as you are.
Cool setup. I run a gen in a shed and noticed that my gen runs at maybe 150 deg, but the exhaust tube is around 400 deg f. I am going to wrap the exhaust pipe with header exhaust wrap.
Thanks Calvin, Im here in Pearland and will reconsider the box cover for my big generator(have not used it this time)…I used my Honda 2200 due to portability and can be stored in house. I have to give 1 hour break on my Honda then run it again and again for 6 hours interval(used for 3 days this time).
Havent had to use mine yet, but did I understand you correctly that it's best to give Honda 2200 an hour break every 6 hours of run time?
I have a buddy who built a similar setup but used a larger shed and put a fan next to the generator and then another fan mounted on the left with a dryer type vent and that pushes the air out and keeps air circulating
Nobody cares about the generator noise? Well if you have it just sitting outside 10 ft from your neighbors bedroom window and you start it up at 3AM. Somebody's gonna care. No need to run it 24)7 either. Great idea, the shed. Thanks for sharing
No complaints yet. No one cares when there is no power.
Thanks for the video! I had a small generator, enough to power a fridge and fans but now definitely looking for something bigger after Beryl
Nice setup!
I bought a refurb Firman tri fuel last year, just bought a small shed like yours, i still need to put together.
The refurb was a great price, but you need to go thru it. The gas line was not connected, the oil drain plug was loose, batt terminals corroded, a few little things to check out before start up. If you buy a refurb, you should be mechanically inclined, otherwise, you will leave a bad review.
It started right up, no issues. Any suggestions for long term storage? Putting a vaseline coating on the batt terminals is a definite.
Thanks for the update, Calvin! Very helpful after watching your original video.
I still hear a generator running on the other street. Sucks that 90 percent of our neighborhood is back online and a few are still suffering. 249 and Spring cypress road
I also had an issue starting mine on NG, but I had noticed if I kept the fuel selector in propane to start and then switched to NG it worked.
Its a nice model. Everything about it is great. 50 amp. Oil screen. Remote start, 5% THD. Ive been trying to find a place to buy one for 6 months and its been out of stock the whole time. Someday maybe
I had to setup alerts at Home Depot and Lowe’s to know when it was back in stock and buy it when I got alerted. It seems like they are getting more every 2-3 weeks.
I got mine from Lowe's about a month before the hurricane came in. Be careful if you order from them and you request the free shipping. They use a 3PL that is known for no communication and literally dropped off my generator on a pallet in my driveway with no notification.
Ordered mine on Lowe’s website last Tuesday after the storm hit and it’s being sent to this store this Friday in Sugarland
Which specific spark plug did you get I’m gonna be running mine strictly on natural gas
I was going to ask how you changed the oil.
I have a firman generator. When we bought it the manual said to change the oil every 24 hours of run time. Duramax also said the same oil change interval. The duramax just changed the information on their website to 50 hours without making any engineering changes. Firman followed suit.
Im still on generator power, it’s Saturday and the generator has been running since Monday.
I change the oil every 48 hours or sooner. I changed out the dip stick oil fill cap to one with a magnetic tip on it. After the wind storm I sent an oil sample to Blackwood for analysis after a 48 hour run. They found it to have significant amounts of wear metals but said the oil was still in decent condition. I run 5-30 synthetic oil, I’ll continue to do a 48 hour oil change interval to hopefully keep it in good running condition.
Mines outside under a gentent rather than in a box so we waited until the wind wasn’t blowing sideways to put the generator out and hook it up. Like you we run extension cords over the fences to provide power for the neighbors refrigerators, some lights, internet and tv.
Ours is rated at 5500 watts on natural gas and as long as we don’t run the microwave or coffee maker while the a/c is on everything works fine. I have the same power on alerts siren but it has never worked so we wait to see the lights come on at the neighbors.
It’s at 140 hours and still going.
Perhaps I’ll put in a shed one day, but for now we drag it out. It takes about 10 minutes to setup.
I’ve never put gasoline in ours, we use propane as our backup fuel rather than keeping gas in the garage or the tank.
✌️
My firman T07571 tri-fuel manual says to change oil after the initial 25 hours and then every 100 hours. I only have 80 total hours and I just changed the oil again.
I plan to make a shed like this one. But I want to put a vent on the lower bottom left, and have the exhaust fan on the opposite side higher, so that it draws air flow from the left side through the generator, and out the exhaust fan. So I suggest you make a vent on the left opposite to the exhaust fan.
Solid set up sir. Thank you for sharing. I am also Sugarland and plan to copy this set up
I see a lot of folks running a separate pipe out of their sheds for the exhaust like you did but personally I see no reason as the exhaust fan is going to suck it out anyway. I have a Wen 11000 that's set up basically the same way as yours but the crappy thing about it is that it calls for an oil change every 24 hours so once a day I have to change the oil and it doesn't have an oil filter either. No natural gas at my place also I use propane bottles. If I ever get rid of the Wen I'll definitely spend the extra cash for a Westinghouse but at the time I was looking for something under a grand and the Wen fit the bill perfectly. I live in Santa Fe and we were without power for three days, I think it was a week after the freeze and the Wen took me through both just fine with no problems.
CO build up as well as heat reduction.
Thank you Calvin, great video! Thanks for the link to the power return alarm, I'm about to order one. I installed solar panels with backup batteries 2 years ago, and the annoying part is I have no idea when power is restored. You have a great setup that is well thought out. I miss living in the Houston area.
I really would like to do that someday. Which system did you go with?
@@CalvinGorriaran Hey Calvin, I got a Tesla system. 27 panels and 3 batteries. I live near Pensacola, when the power goes out, I have enough power to last me the night...depending on how my wife sets the thermostat and whether she decides to use the clothes dryer when I've told her not to. It's a good system, and I had bought a generator like yours based on one of your prior videos with that sweet setup you have. But I sold it when I decided to get solar.
It is shocking how much electric dryers, ovens, and cooktops use. If I ever build or move, all of those will be NG.
@@CalvinGorriaran Yes I tried to get natural gas to my house, but the gas company did the whole neighborhood, except my street. I have propane for my hot tub, but it was too costly to get an outlet put in the house for stove and dryer. But that's okay, since the solar offsets my bill by around 65-75%. I love sunny days!
@@CalvinGorriaran I have every possible appliance in natural gas.
In a power outage it makes a lot of things possible.
Hot showers in the winter☑️
Heating the house in the winter (sips power from a EcoFlow delta)☑️
Cooking and even baking☑️
Fueling the generator☑️
Even loads of laundry if I’m feeling crazy 🤪
Yes I have done all these in testing.
100 hours of runtime between oil changes. Good idea to assume that the next time you are going to run it it will be ready for those 100 hours. Monthly startup with ten minutes at full temperature. verify electricity being generated each time. Keep a log book in the generator shed to track maintenance and monthly test results.
Back in February of 2021 we all experienced the ice storm that caused major power outages in the southern parts of the USA.My welder/Generator Miller 500D puts out 24KW of power was used for powering our whole house for 248hrs or 10+ days! The welder never stop once we hooked it up by turning off main 200amp breaker and turning on 50amp breaker back feeding the main breaker panel with everything online like we never lost power. We wash clothes like normal, heated our home, no lost of frozen food or anything. The diesel fuel that was use for every 1hr of constant power during the whole time period was a half a gallon of diesel fuel! It has a 25 gallon tank to run about 48hrs before filling up which we did by fuel cans that we filled up by our 500gal diesel storage tank.! A diesel power generator is the way to go with powering a home during a power outage if in a rural area!the advantage of farm diesel is a cheap fuel to power your home for long power outages like we all experienced and with hurricane season on it's peak and other storms and outages it better to be prepared even if it is a small generator is better then nothing. Fossil fuels are not ready to be phased out or taken away do to going green has proved not ready for prime time during multiple events after the ice storm we all face. Stay cool during summer seasons and Stay warm during winter season and stay safe when using generators and help your neighbors, friends, and family as they will help you!
This is my dream! And totally awesome for your family but that's a 40k generator. Did you pay retail?
@@dmgnwk no i got it used at southeast Texas trading website. I purchased it in 2016 and had it service and inspected and everything was perfect!
Nice!! Enjoy! An excellent generator.
You did a real nice job you had it all the bells and whistles they say but that box I plan on making a slab with a building that would be 6 feet tall 4 x 4 footage the floor and some anchors steel bar outlets to lock it up
Question about your cabinet , I like it, how much sound block were you able to create ?
Makes me feel better about the same generator but the 9500 I just bought…hopefully it’ll hold up for the AC next time Centerpoint screws us
This is exactly what ive been talking about doing since I got mine. Thanks for posting. Im out in Richmond/Rosenberg area
That’s an amazing set up
Extension cords to neighbors are considerate, BUT, there is voltage drop in the cords. That voltage drop affects the motors on their items such as refrigerators, freezers and A/C units. That shortens life considerably. Voice of experience here. Terrible to come home to a now nonfreezer after being gone for an extended weekend because the motor had been made weak and finally quit.
Good point... a few more tips for those using extension cords... 1) use a true 20AMP 115v cord for these connections as it uses 12 (max 50ft) or 10 (max 100ft) gauge wire. This will reduce the voltage drop. Most generators have (2 or 4) 20AMP capable outlets. The correct 20AMP cord will have a 20AMP plug at the generator (one plug pin is horizontal and one vertical) and will have a 20/15 AMP connector at the other end (one plug pin allows a horizontal or vertical pin and the other is a vertical pin). 2) Make sure that the load is spread as evenly as possible across the outlets, so the generator experiences a balanced load on the windings. 3) A proper 240v breakout plug (cord that plugs into the 30 or 50 AMP generator connection and splits out to (4) 120v cords) should provide the correct wire gauge for the current / overall cord length that will be needed. Same for any 120v extension cords plugged into it. Balancing the load applies here as well. 4) It's best to have as few connections to the generator source connection as possible to minimize the voltage drop. High current load runs should be point to point if possible (e.g. an extension cord, to another extension cord, to a power strip, to a high current device wouldn't be a good idea). 5) Old extension cords with corroded plugs (dark metal instead of shiny brass) should be replaced, as this can generate heat (voltage drop) at the connection point, since it's more resistive, even to the point of being a fire hazard.
Great rig and video. I love ALL the extra accessories you added. Don't recall your mention of having an appropriately sized fire extinguisher very nearby. Think you might need some sort of fire/smoke alarm in your gen shed? Have you considered adding an independent fuse/breaker between your generator and the extn cord to your neighbor...to prevent overloading of that branch circuit? Thank you for sharing.
I have a fire extinguisher in the garage on the wall about 15’ away. I think that is a good mention. I will bring that up on a future video. The extension cord I sent over was from a plug on the exterior of my home. If they overload it, it would have just popped the fuse on that circuit.
You're very lucky! We're on day 8 with no power with a restoration maybe date of 7/19. 😢
Not lucky, just prepared.
@@firehead1221 yes, lucky
Thank you for walkthru. I live in Spring and really like your set up. Planning to do something similar. I would really appriciate if you can answer some of questions I have 1) What kind of 50 AMPS cable you have hooked up to your generator and is it safe to leave that connected to generator all the time even when its not in use.I hope you are disconnecting the 50 AMPS inlet inside garage when its not in use. What kind of 50 AMPS cord you have there hooked to to generator? 2) I am planning do same but I want to use NG connected all the time to gen with shut off vavle inside my garage so that I can fire this generator up from inside without stepping out. Is it possible to do with Gen ?
This has got to be the cleanest install I've ever come across. The thought to run the fan even after the generator has stopped is very thorough.
I bought the same generator recently and planning to install it this weekend. Can you describe how your natural gas connection is installed? My Ng meter is right next my garage where I plan to install the generator, but worried if it will cause issues with the NG pressure if run the generator and use the kitchen stoves at the same time
You have plenty of pressure to use both. I had both gas furnaces running with my generator going and a gas fireplace. No issues.
You also need to mention the need for a soft start kit for the ac condenser units when using a small generator like this.
I like the idea of the transfer switch and the idea of the power coming from
The house to let the fan run post generator turning off. Great idea.
Do you have a step by step of this build & recommendations?
you can wrap the exhaust pipe to help cooling the box
Thank you! I ended up remembering I had bought some wrap and never installed it!
I need help our brand new 13500 won’t start with natural gas. You mentioned new spark plugs can you tell me what spark plugs and where to get them. Our fires right up on propane and once in the natural gas only.
Just found your video. It is a big help I recently brought in a champion 12 KW try fuel and put it in a shed considerably larger than the one you are showing and even though I had an exhaust fan that looks like the one you have, I found it. It was very hot inside this shed, so I added a much larger fan that is doing a great job to exhaust hot air out
I am also hardwired to my natural gas and hardwired into my existing transfer switch that I had for my Generac, which died after 17 years
I am very pleased with my set up however, I was interested in your reference to changing the spark plug because sometimes I find the generator difficult to start. I have never used gasoline in it. Could you give me more information on the recommendation for the spark plug ?
Thanks BD
Awesome im down in FL and have a nice generac Generator, ive made a lisst for everything plan on making this same setup for my home!! thanks
I run a Generac GP6500 to recharge my Solar generator batteries after Storms if I cant recharge with Solar panels, I can last about 2-3 weeks in the worst situation with 10-15 gallons of gas and 800 watts of panels alternating between uses. I live close to Downtown Houston so they cut power in my area to keep Downtown powered, now I am currently waiting on a few more upgrades for my House to stay powered for a month without Utility power.
The heat isn’t the issue with oil especially with synthetic. It’s the fact the lack of oil filter is there. Constant recirculating with contaminants accelerate the wear.
If no filter then change oil every 24/35 hours is just smart 😊
Great setup. With backfeeding and hardlining your power feed. Why did not not hardline natural gas into your shed? Is it against code?
Most outages we have are only 4 hours or less. Gasoline is easy and quick to start. NG can take a few tries to get started and this way if it is a long outage, we simply just connect the quick connect hose.
I agree with you 50 hrs and change the oil
I basically have the same setup. I also added a 12 volt radiator fan at the opposite end of my shed to draw the air in through a vent and across the generator as the other fan pulls the hot air out. You could try that too.
Love that idea. I am thinking about adding a high CFM attic fan to the top of the shed in the lid. Might do both!
@@CalvinGorriaran That's a good idea!
Some people never prepare, no food stored, no backup power, the peace of mind of having this covered is worth the cost.
@@patrickhall3878 so true. I am shocked how much people don’t prepare.